Mini Update Sticky Post: September 14, 2018 Anticipating the CanLit prizelists, I’m reading Rawi Hage’s Beirut Hellfire Society. Elizabeth Arthur’s Antarctic Navigation has been on my shelves, unread, since 1994, but it is just wonderful: slow and dense and snowy: I am lost in it, in the best way. I’m reading some classic Canadian short stories by Sinclair Ross (“The Painted Door” was terrific). And I’ve finally started N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season, because her Inheritance trilogy was awesome (so it was a delight to read of her third Hugo win).
So many books to talk about! Including what’s currently in my bookbag and current projects.
Reading Louise Erdrich: fiction and non-fiction. (Currently, Shadow Tag.)
Reading Mavis Gallant, one story at a time: From the Fifteenth District begins on November 1st
Exploring my grandmother’s copies of Mazo de la Roche’s Jalna stories. (I’ve just finished reading the 16th volume.)
How about you: what are you reading these days, and what are you looking forward to reading soon?
Slim and tidy, eh? Now that is a novel concept. I actually pulled all my stacks of bedroom books (well that sit in one corner) and organized them–tried to clear up the night stand, too, but there still seem to be an awful lot. Who are you reading after Louise Erdrich–you must be getting near the bottom of the pile? And the Jalna books? Would you be surprised if I said my reading was all over the place right now? 😉 (I hope I didn’t make you fall off your chair–an actual comment from me!!).
You probably thought I really had fallen off my chair – somehow this got filtered out – you’re probably right – it’d been too long! Heheh After Erdrich? I have about 5 still to read, I think, and I’m not sure whether I’ll start another author after that, as I also finished David Mitchell’s books and W.G. Sebald’s (fewer) earlier this year. Although I did start China Mieville and that might be a nice change…
I’m embarking happily on a MG and YA reading binge. The news has been so bad lately that I find myself gravitating towards positive, nourishing, good-hearted, plot-heavy stories, and Middle Grade novels really fit that bill. They tend to be leave me cheered, and even hopeful!
How well I know that reading phase. For now, I am simply keeping one such book in the stack at all times, just for those reasons, but I suspect my more moderate approach has everything to do with which side of the border each of us inhabits currently – which is a temporary luxury.
I love Dickens! I wish I were reading Bleak House, but I’m waiting a few years to do a new reading. Still, it is one of my favorites. I don’t have plans for 2018, though I do want to read more Canadian literature and will keep my eye on your blog for suggestions.
As much as I enjoyed it, I’m just not sure if I am meant to be a Dickens-devotee. Maybe I needed to start reading him younger? Maybe I just haven’t struck on the “right” one?
I am all ready for new reads for 2018 and have a little (!) pile on my night table to help things along. Now to decide which to start with as I am going to try and keep my bookbag light–for my break I don’t think I had more than two books in my bag at a time. Shocking, right? I like that you are still working on those Mavis Gallant stories–one at a time. If I can do that with my New Yorker stories I will be very happy.
A little pile?! I do not believe it. You will need to send a photograph as bookish evidence. Perhaps daily, if you plan to make such declarative statements about your bookbag as well! giggles
I’m going to try to read some of the New Yorker stories too. You’ll probably do better than I, as I’ve got my Gallant reading to keep up with too. Let’s see…
Where are you in your Mavis Gallant stories? I need a good collection to start but have not yet decided on one as I have lots of random single stories to catch up on including that poor advent calendar which I fizzled on. If I do it again this year (This Year?–sheesh that sounds weird) I will order it early–I was behind before I even got it and that threw me off. I did pull a collection of stories by Prosper Merimee off my shelves last night–it is fairly short and the title story “Etruscan Vase” very much appeals to me. I have loads of story collections yet nothing much else seems to strike my fancy at the moment.
I’m reading in a volume which was published in the U.S. as “The Cost of Living” (NYRB): do you have it? I’m more than halfway through, “French Crenellation”. What was the first TNY story for this year? I’ve yet to track it down – oh, no…behind already! (Or, still?)
Love Louise Erdrich. Wasn’t so keen on LaRose though. Look forward to the new novel. I think The Painted Drum is my favourite.
I love the chic new format, and so much enjoy reading about Canlit, which is so hard to find here. I should read one or more of the Giller finalists. The Booker is so disappointing now that American lit is included, which obviously I can find with no problem, and fewer titles from Canada, etc., are included.
Thanks, Kat: ‘chic’, I like that! I think you might really enjoy Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson. The humour, the woman-soakedness of it, the bridge into indigenous culture, the wondrous elements (rooted in culture): I think they’d appeal to you. Yes, I agree with your feelings about the Booker now, even though I have thoroughly enjoyed Lincoln in the Bardo. This year, the various CanLit prizelists have been more varied than usual (only a couple of titles overlapping between lists, and not the same ones either), so it’s been a good reading season!
I’ve had such trouble replying to your recent replies to my comments on your blog, via the WordPress app. Have no idea why it took a liking to your blog over other WordPress blogs. Twitter did the same. I drafted a tweet to you and there was no Tweet button for me to send it, so it’s still sitting in draft. Really weird. And when I tried to look at your blog on the tablet – even via Safari – darned if I could find your latest post. So, finally, I’m back on the laptop and all is well.
Anyhow, I’m reading two non-fiction books at the moment, on the heels of one I’ve just finished. But I have Mavis Gallant on my Kindle and kept meaning to get to her.
I’m sorry if it’s anything on my end that’s making it awkward, WhisperingGums. I’ll try to do some more testing on my phone this weekend to see if I have a similar experience. As for the Twitter thing, I checked to make sure we are following each other, and we are, so that doesn’t make sense to me. Surely not every app on your device can have something against BIP! grins However, I do seem to find that, generally, some things are just better done on the PC than mobile, so you’re not alone in that! Oh, yes, do make time for Mavis. You will love her, I think!
I see you are in fine bookish (nice healthy sized reading pile) form! 😉 Have I shocked you. I hope you were sitting down and didn’t fall off your chair to see an actual comment from me!
So nice to see you out and about again! And, yes, there’s no problem with nice-sized piles around here…only a problem turning enough pages to change the scenery!
I just purchased Dazzle Patterns yesterday (for Kobo)! It sounds wonderful!
I liked Minds of Winter – it did get a little long towards the end for me, but great storytelling. Are you hedging any guesses as to whom the Giller will go to yet? I’m afraid Minds of Winter is the only one on the shortlist I’ve read, so I can’t make any comment. 😉
Nice to see you here, Penny! I’m reading Minds of Winter now, too, and then I have Michael Redhill’s novel to read, before I could even begin to make a guess. Ed O’Loughlin does seem like a solid storyteller; I’m curious about his two earlier books now!
My reading has been a bit slow this month but I just went to the library to pick up some books and am excited about them so let’s see if I can get my reading mojo back! Hope you enjoy your reads.
Some months are like that, but it looks like you’ve gotten it back, as you’re into mysteries again!
I hope you enjoy Who Fears Death. Terrific book and terrific author.
It is. I simultaneously want to recommend it to everyone and also apologize for all the late-night reading sessions it could provoke!
Tonight’s the Giller Prize. So who do you think will win? Hmm. I’m wondering if Miriam Toews this time? Although I do have a copy of Padma’s book so that would be great as well. Cheers
Thank you for your exquisite review of my novel.
My pleasure! Thanks for stopping by.
Lately I have been reading a lot of French literature, Proust, Balzac and Zola as well as Austro Hugarian writers like Joseph Roth and Stefan Zweig.
Each of those is a gap in my classic reading, but I do have vague “someday” plans to explore them. The reading list never gets any shorter when one lives a reading life, does it.
I too am overjoyed, for her and her work, she is a class act and a national treasure, so very Canadian:-)
Nobel for Mrs. Munro, woo hoo:-) You always knew
I am over the moon to see her work receiving this kind of recognition: simply wonderful. (Thanks for dropping by today!)
I love the idea of One Book, One Weekend! Perhaps one weekend there could be a joint read?
Do you mean Two Books One Weekend, like one on Saturday and one on Sunday? Have specific titles in mind? I’d intended it to work out that way with the Atwoods, but even as re-reads there was simply too much detail to take in during a single day. (Well, I should have gotten up earlier and gone to the market expeditiously.)
O, I just realised my comment was completely unclear. Rather, I meant that other bloggers might join you in reading a book one weekend, sometime..
So glad to see that you are coming back! I am looking forward to the Alice Munro on March 6th. Hope the rest has been a good one. Canada Reads was exciting this year: perhaps you will be posting about it soon. I am reading Two Solitudes and really enjoying it.
Thanks, Sandra! I don’t think I will be posting about Canada Reads this year, but I do agree it was terrific, much more enjoyable overall and throughout than the past couple of years (IMO). I haven’t yet finished re-reading Two Solitudes but I am enjoying it too, and I do plan to read a couple of other HMacL novels as well.
Hello. We’re new visitors to your blog and thoroughly enjoyed what we’ve read so far! We’ll be sticking around…
Thanks so much for stopping by: very kind!
Your post about libraries and the experiences of your daughter makes me sad as there are no public library in the megacity of 20 million in which I reside. We have huge malls and huge slums. My daughters have never had the experiences of going to a library and coming home with books. For my family it is not so bad as we are blessed with being able to buy books but there are millions for whom a book is an out of reach luxury. Once we took some children’s books to an orphanage and gave about 50 kids there own books. many walked off hugging the books.
That’s a lovely image, of those children walking off with their new books in their arms. I hope those children, too, are lucky enough to be able to buy books someday, or be able to access a public library. It’s easy to forget that whatever our version of “everyday life” is, it’d be perceived as a luxury by someone who is longing for just that. Thanks very much for your comment.
It is my first time here…and well, I think I’m in love. 🙂
Heheh: I’m so happy! I had a similar feeling when I saw the post you had of your potential read-a-thon books. *swoon*
I have read only three of her stories. I have to start in on her seriously soon.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I hope you enjoy The Elephant Mountains more than I did, the writing was too simplistic and predictable for me, but I loved the premise of the plot before I began reading it!
I love the Odyssey! One of my favorites!
It’s far more entertaining than I expected; I think I was imagining something like Milton’s Paradise Lost or Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, with different deities, but no! Have you read Atwood’s The Penelopiad?
Dystopia is so popular because, in a corporate-controlled culture, we’re living it.
Have you read F.S. Michael’s Monoculture; I think you might find it fits rather well on your bookshelves!
After watching Kim’s Australian reading month come and pass without managing to turn a page, I am determined to read a new (to me) Madeleine St John novel. I read her many years ago and really liked her style. I suppose the other author I know of isn’t Australian by birth but she lives there, so does that count? I read Drusilla Modjeska’s unclassifiable book, The Orchard, a couple of years ago and was blown away by it. I then bought up everything by her I could find but (of course) haven’t read another of hers since. Hmm, time to dig them out again, I think.
OOohhh, The Orchard is on my shortlist; good to know that you had such a strong response to it! I saw the author at a literary festival a few years ago and was very impressed. The more that I think about Australian women writers, the longer that my list becomes; just this week I realized that I have Marjorie Barnard and Ada Cambridge on my shelves, too, and I hadn’t even thought of them (yet). Sometimes missing an event/challenge is a surprisingly strong incentive to change habits/plans for me too.
What sort of dystopian fiction are you planning to read? I love that stuff.
Ryan, my loose reading plans are here, and there’s a list of some of the classic stuff that I’ve already read there, too; I’d love to hear any suggestions you might have (either for what I’ve got listed there or something else entirely). I think I’ll aim for a couple of classics for this year, but I’m primarily concerned with more contemporary works, say from the past 10 years or so, though I can be swayed with the tiniest amount of enthusiasm!
I am still surprised I’ve not read any book or short story by Alice Munro though I’ve heard many good things about her. I lool forward to your reviews of her stories. A great blog you have here. All best.
Thanks for stopping by, Geosi: I’m sure you’ll enjoy Munro’s stories when you do get around to reading them.
Thanks for stopping by to cheer me on during the read-a-thon. It’s a great even and a fun way to meet new bloggers. Hope you had a great day also.
Thank you for the note of support! I appreciated it – this was my first Readathon!
Love your site!
My pleasure, Teri: the best part of read-a-thon-ing, I think!
How are you doing with the Read-a-Thon? I hope you are having fun and still awake!!
I’m still awake, Wendy, but not for long: you’ve definitely covered more pages than I. Good on you! 🙂
I’m here to cheer! I hope your Read-a-Thon experience is going great!
Thanks, Joy: much appreciated indeed!
Here’s to a great start to the Read-A-Thon!
Thanks, Rayna!
I loved all the Ramona books (Henry Huggins too) but admit to not reading them until four years ago with my youngest daughter. Her Runaway Ralph series was also a big hit with all three of my children.
I remember reading and enjoying books from both The Littles and The Rescuers series when I was a child.
It sounds like you’re having a blast re-visiting your childhood series favourites!
I was terribly biased against books about boys when I was a girl, so I always preferred Ramona, but I did read HH too. And, yes, Runaway Ralph! I have Margery Sharp’s books at hand, but didn’t read them as a girl and oh, I don’t know The Littles at all: I’m off to investigate!
I’m impressed at all of the Orange reading! All the best with it!
Congratulations on your readathon success! 🙂
Yeah for the readathon! I’m doing a mini-challenge for the first time this year and I’m very excited. Best of luck!
I hope you have a great Readathon this weekend. I get to read for part of it, which I’m looking forward to, since normally I miss most of it.
I have yet to read any Margaret Laurence but she’s on my reading list for the Canadian Book Challenge. I’ve heard such wonderful things about her. Your site is fabulous by the way.
Read-A-Thon –I am pumped to be in doing it this year! ::is it too book-geeky to say things like that?::
I will be paying homage to all things graphic novel 🙂
Woo, readathon! I can’t wait!
Hello! Looking forward to the big happenings over here!
I’d like to ask if you receive books for review. I’m the publicist for Goose Lane Editions, and we have a few fall books I think you’d like.
Let me know at credekop[at]gooselane[dot]com.
I have similar aspiration to read some of the Orange Prize fiction. I do have to chime in that you have breathed some reading ideas in me.
Thanks, Matt: I’m learning about some other longlists that are tempting as well, but what was set the Orange Prize reading apart for me, so far, is that I haven’t yet been disappointed by a book put forward for it. I’m sure I’ll be adding to my list of prize-winning obsessions in no time!
I think the lit-blogging world will be all the richer for having you in it. I just spent the last hour browsing past posts when I absolutely should have been working on coursework instead. What is most impressive though are all your book-lists! I’m a sucker for a list too and I can see I’m going to spend hours trawling them for new reading ideas. 🙂 Thank you for commenting at Alexandria, by the way, I’m going to go back through your Orange Prize posts and comment when I have a bit more time to devote.
Thanks, Victoria: I’ll try to port over some more of my booklists to interfere with your coursework to the maximum degree. It does seem as though our reading tastes align more often than not, which is dangerous for our TBR lists indeed.
Hey welcome – its a fun world. Came here because I was looking at the Pat Barker reviews, I brought Regeneration a few days ago.
Thanks, Jessica. I hope reading Regeneration is a good experience for you: I really do feel that reading the trilogy changed the way in which I approach fiction with sad, serious subjects.
Great site. It’ll take me a while to wade through it, but I’m looking forward to reuniting a bit with my Canadian literary roots.
And I love the Carol Shields quote!
Thanks for stopping by! And right back atcha re: your Robertson Davies quote: cats and books, timeless combo.
Welcome to the world of book blogging! I just came across your site via Thomas at My Porch. A glance at your blog and your list of favourites…..and I notice we seem to like a lot of the same books. There are quite a number you’ve also mentioned that I’ve never heard of. I’m definitely going to look them up. Looking forward to reading more from you!
Thanks muchly, Mrs. B. We do seem to have quite a few shared favourites; I’m looking forward to adding to my TBR list based on the new-to-me names on your blog as well!